Narrabri Blues’ reserve grade side scores its first win of the year

Sunday was a day of celebrations at Collins Park for the Narrabri Blues as the club’s reserve grade side scored a 32-26 victory against their local rivals, the Boggabri Kangaroos, in round 12 of the 2023 Group 4 Rugby League campaign.

The Blues led 22-6 at the half-time break after they produced a dominant first half, but the visitors fought back and trailed by just two points when a Clifford Toomey Jr try eight minutes from full time made the score 28-26 in the home side’s favour.

Blues winger Chris Clark struck a few minutes later with a try that stretched their lead back out to six points, and the hosts held Boggabri out during the final five minutes to hold onto their 32-26 lead and earn their first win of the year following 11 straight losses.

“It was real good to finally get off the duck egg,” Narrabri Rugby League Football Club’s reserve grade coach Ashley Hynch told The Courier.

“We played well.

“We only had 14 players, so one on the bench, and that made it tough.

“It was a good effort from all of our boys.

“Both our wingers, Chris Clark and Callum Craigie, had massive games and Jeffro Harvey as usual was his strong self. He goes pretty good for a 50-year-old in the front row.

“Knoxy (Michael Knox) led them around the park well too. He’s about 50 too but I like to say he’s 80. He’s been there since Noah was a boy. He hasn’t missed a game all year and he’s been playing really well.”

Rodney Lamb scored two tries for Narrabri on Sunday, and teammates Nick Tomlinson, Kyle Adams, Clark, and Craigie scored a try each, while Kaleb Mowle successfully kicked four conversions.

Boggabri Kangaroos scored five tries as Cody Abrahams and Ben Haire both bagged doubles and Toomey Jr crossed for their last.

Toomey Jr also slotted three of the five conversions.

The Blues have traditionally been dominant in Group 4 Rugby League’s reserve grade competition, but Hynch said that a mix of inexperience, poor numbers at training and on several occasions at away games, and players going up into first grade had made it hard to establish momentum in 2023.

However, he said that he hoped they could finish the season with three wins by scoring victories this Sunday at home against Gunnedah and then in the 14th and final round away from home against Werris Creek Magpies on Sunday, July 30.

The other three reserve grade games in round 12 were played on Saturday as Moree Boars edged out Dungowan Cowboys 24-22 at Boughton Oval, the North Tamworth Bears went down 26-24 to Werris Creek Magpies at Jack Woolaston Oval, and Kootingal- Moonbi Roosters scored a 32-22 away win over the Gunnedah Bulldogs at Kitchener Park.

Boggabri Kangaroos were victorious in the other two matches contested at Collins Park.

The visitors kicked off the day with a 22-8 ladies’ league tag victory, and then the Kangaroos wrapped up the day with a 38-18 first grade win. (see full story here: Boggabri Kangaroos keep slim first grade finals hopes alive with victory against Narrabri – The Courier (courier.local.tiemens.com.au) )